


Far Off Places

by Visionsofdazzlingrooms



Category: Centennial (TV)
Genre: Elly doesn’t die!, Elly escapes, F/M, I fixed it, Levi and Elly, McKeag is awesome, Oregon - Freeform, and has a six sense, non-canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:01:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28876095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visionsofdazzlingrooms/pseuds/Visionsofdazzlingrooms
Summary: Elly Zahm loves Levi Zendt, and she owes her live to another lovely man
Relationships: Elly Zahm Zendt/Levi Zendt
Comments: 8
Kudos: 2





	Far Off Places

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lumy12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumy12/gifts).



> I do still love Linda and Danny, make no mistake of that! I’m just suddenly getting inspiration to finish old fics from long ago. This is one of them. 
> 
> It’s for Lumy12, who also loves Elly and Levi. A few months back we talked about how there wasn’t enough material for them. I said I might write one, she (?) said she’d want to read it. So here it is!

"Do you ever dream of having a family some day?" Laura Lou smiled as she looked out the window. "Having a handsome, sturdy husband who builds handsome, sturdy walls? Maybe three kids and a little dog."

"I want to go to Oregon." Elly Zahm stopped kneading the bread temporarily. 

"Oregon?"

"Far off places. Lands that haven't been discovered or settled in yet.... just anywhere away from here."

"I think you could do it," Laura Lou focused on her folding. "You can do anything you set your mind to."

Elly smiled, "I'm gonna bust out of this place."

"Elly! Go out and buy some flour and sugar."

Elly turned to the older woman. "I- I'll need some money."

"Yes, yes," she shoved the money in the young lady's hand, and practically pushed her out the door. 

Elly just barely managed to snag the basket off the ground before tripping out the door. She shook her head as she tucked the money safely in her apron pocket. She walked half way to the market place when she stopped to put the basket down. 

Elly sighed as she pulled her hair back, trying to smooth out the flyaway hairs. Everyone may know where she lived and how she lived, but that didn't mean she had stopped caring about her appearance. Her messy hair was okay in the kitchen, or upstairs changing the bed sheets, but out in the world, it was not okay. Out in the world, she had to look like some form of a proper lady, even if she wasn't one. 

She leaned over once her hair was tied back and snatched the basket up with her hand. She hummed to herself quietly and waved at the towns folk as she walked the rest of the way to the market. At the market, she met the cute Mennonite boy, Eli Zendt. She smiled at him, noting how he was acting differently. “Is everything okay?”

“You shouldn’t be talking to me,” he whispered. 

Elly tipped her head to the side, her braid falling down her shoulder. “Why not?”

“Because I’m a disgrace! Haven’t you heard?”

“I don’t think you hurt that girl. And I’m a disgrace, too.”

“You- you believe me?”

“Why shouldn’t I? You’re an upstanding member of the community, and a priest like yourself wouldn’t go around hurting young women.”

Levi huffed out an astonished breath. “You’re something else, Elly.”

“I know I am. ‘What I am’ is the question.” She picked an apple from the pile and stuck it in her basket. 

“You’re a very nice girl,” he watched her smile a little. He loved that smile. “You’re also a pretty girl.”

Elly laughed and shook her head, “I’m a plain girl, giving kindness where, perhaps, it’s not deserved.”

“And that’s what makes you special, and not like the rest. I don’t see how you can be so nice living with a bitch like that.” Levi immediately straightened from leaning on the vegetable table. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re right. She is rather unpleasant...” as if contemplating what to say next, Elly slowly put a puns of sugar in her basket. “Can you keep a secret?”

Levi smiled at the sly look the young woman had. He nodded his head, leaning closer so she could whisper in his ear. 

“I’m gonna bust outta here. Go somewhere exotic like Oregon, or somewhere else not yet settled.” Straightening, she exclaimed, “I’m gonna be a lady adventurer!”

“Sounds daring.”

“Life is daring.” Remembering what she came to do, Elly quickly told Levi, “I gotta go. Madam will be furious if I’m out later than I should be.”

Levi watched Elly pay, thinking about what she said she wanted. He stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled as an idea came to him. “Oregon.”

*********

Elly was sure she had never run so fast in her life. She had stuffed her few belongings in a pillow case and flew down the stairs, practically jumping into the wagon. She ignored the angered shouts of the mistress, and she hugged Laura Lou goodbye. “I’ll miss you.”

“And I you. Go to far off places, Elly! Go explore!”

And she did. She and Levi were married, and her heart broke for him when they had to give up the horses. They met many nice men, and some that were not so nice. When Elly was attacked by one of the men, Levi made sure she was never too far out of his or McKeag’s sight. The Mennonite trusted the older man, and would forever be grateful to him on that fateful day. 

McKeag was standing in the field, chatting with the other men about what they would do once they found a place to settle. He talked about building towns and having trades, making peace with the Indians who lived there, as Pasquinel did once. The tall blonde man happened to look over to Levi’s bride, who was crouched in the fields, gathering flowers. 

An irrational fear settled in McKeag’s stomach as he watched Elly hum a melody to herself. That was when he saw it- an ominous, black slithering object headed straight towards Elly! He ran and called to her, “Elly!”

She looked up, rubbing the sweat off her forehead with her arm. “What’s the matt- oh!” She gave a little screech when McKeag scooped her up. 

He plopped her away from the probably poisonous snake, then shot the creature with his gun. Soon after, he heard the familiar clomp of horses’ hooves. He watched Levi jump from the horse before he even told it to stop, and immediately gathered Elly in his arms. 

“What’s wrong? Are you okay? What happened?”

“McKeag...” Elly really hadn’t known what happened. She was just suddenly nearly tossed away from the small grassy area she was in. 

“There was a snake,” McKeag explained. “Most likely poisonous. Might very well have bitten Miss Elly.”

Elly’s eyes went wide and, instinctively, she curled into Levi, hugging him tightly. 

“Thank you, my friend,” Levi smiled with tears in his eyes. “Thank you for saving my love.”

McKeag only smiled and tipped his head lower, acknowledging the thanks. “Better look after that one, Levi.”

“I will. I will.”

Elly lifted her head from Levi’s shoulder to see McKeag leaving. “McKeag?”

He turned towards the couple. 

“Thank you, Alexander McKeag, for saving my life.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it! <3


End file.
